Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat

ABSTRACT

In the case of a locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first ( 3 ) and a second tray table part ( 5 ) that can be moved around swivel axes ( 25  or  37 ), different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions, closing parts ( 43, 47 ) are assigned to the two tray table parts ( 3, 5 ) and can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close with respect to one another to keep them from raising a tray table part ( 3 ) in a use position.

The invention relates to a locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first and a second tray table part that can be moved around swivel axes, different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions.

Of course, in seats that are provided for passenger service in means of transport, attempts are made to provide additional elements on the seat that afford additional comfort for the seat occupant. This applies in particular in seats that are suitable for extended travel periods, for example in ferries or in particular passenger aircraft. With respect to this, it is prior art to provide tray table parts that can pivot, which, brought into their use position, can be used, for example, as a dining tray table table, or, with smaller tray table surfaces, can form a stand for drinks as a so-called cocktail tray table table.

To ensure a reliable and trouble-free handling of tray table parts in such tray table systems, as well as to secure an appropriate tray table part in a certain position or use position from pivoting, the possibility of locking the tray table parts must be provided.

With respect to this, the object of the invention is to make available a locking device that is distinguished by an especially simple type of design.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a locking device that has the features specified in claim 1 in its entirety.

In that, as specified in the characterizing part of claim 1, both tray table parts are assigned closing parts that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close to keep them from raising a tray table part, said tray table parts can be secured especially simply and reliably in their use position.

The locking device according to the invention is suitable especially in tray table systems in which a first tray table part that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console that limits the seat to the side can be removed from the console to be moved into the use position and can pivot around an axis that is located on the console and that runs in a direction of travel/flight. By means of the locking device, it is ensured in such tray table systems that the tray table part, which is provided, for example, as a dining tray table, and which is pulled out upward from the console and then is swung downward into the horizontal use position, is not unintentionally or inadvertently folded upward.

In such seat systems with the shaft located in the seat console, a tray table flap that covers the shaft of the console in the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position can be provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis, which is located parallel to the axis of the first tray table part and offset with respect to the console against the center of the console.

In addition, the configuration can be designed such that the first tray table part between a first use position, in which it is oriented to the shaft of the console, is adjacent to the lateral edge of the tray table flap in the use position, and, forming a lateral extension of the tray table surface, can be moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the second use position. Such a shifting of this tray table part, the dining tray table, can be used for the purpose of combining this tray table part with another additional tray table part, which can be folded down, for example, from the rear of the seatback of the next front seat in the horizontal position. The combination of the dining tray table with this additional tray table part that is supported by the front seat makes it possible to make available to the seat occupant an especially large tray table surface as a working surface.

In such systems, it is especially important, by means of the pertinent locking device, to ensure that the tray table part that can move forward, the dining tray table, can only be raised and pivoted upward when it is located in its rear starting position that is not moved forward, the first use position. With respect to this, in an especially advantageous embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, the configuration is designed such that the closing parts assigned to the tray table parts based on the moving of the first tray table part (the dining tray table) from its first use position can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position. Thus, it is ensured that the first tray table part can be swiveled upward only in the position that is aligned with the shaft of the console.

The first tray table part can be pivot-mounted on a support arm on the console for its shifting movement between the first use position and the second use positions that were moved forward, whereby the closing part that is assigned to the first tray table part is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part on the support arm and can be moved between the active position and the inactive position.

This closing part can be a locking element that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside of the first tray table part, and that, when pivoted to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing part forming a seat that is provided on the tray table flap to form a closure.

In an especially advantageous way, in this connection, a carrier element that projects in the direction toward the support arm can be provided on the underside of the first tray table part, and said carrier element, when the first tray table part is moved out from the first use position, moves the locking element back into the active position, and during retraction into the first use position moves the locking element back into the inactive position. As a result, the control of the locking device is virtually automatic by the moving forward of the first tray table part activating the locking and by the locking device being inactivated, i.e., the closing state being ended, when retracting this tray table part into the use position.

Below, the invention will be explained in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawing. Here:

FIG. 1, in a perspective oblique view, shows a partial view of the center console of an aircraft passenger seat and a seatback portion of an adjacent front seat;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view of the tray table systems, shown on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 1, that are mounted between two adjacent aircraft passenger seats on a central carrier plate of a center console, whereby only the essential components of the tray table systems can be seen without linings and other structures of the console;

FIG. 3 shows a view similar to FIG. 2, with, however, a first tray table part from the console being depicted pulled out upward;

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway and diagrammatically simplified perspective oblique view of only one portion of the center console with tray table parts located therein in the use position;

FIG. 5 shows a view similar to FIG. 4, with, however, a tray table part from the first use position shown in FIG. 4 being moved out in the direction of flight into a second use position, and

FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatically simplified perspective oblique view in which the closing parts of the locking device between tray table parts are illustrated according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the above section of a center console 1 between two adjacent aircraft passenger seats that are not shown in the drawing. A tray table system is assigned to each side of the center console 1, i.e., to each of the two adjacent seats, from which a first tray table part in the form of a dining tray table 3 as well as a second tray table part in the form of a tray table flap 5 that forms an above-mentioned cocktail tray table are shown in FIG. 1. Of the tray table system corresponding to the next seat, only the tray table flap 5 can be seen in FIG. 1. The tray table part that forms the dining tray table 3 in FIG. 1 is in its first, horizontal use position in which the dining tray table 3 is relative to the center console 1 in a position that is oriented to a vertical shaft that is located in the center console 1, in which the dining tray table 3 drops and therefore can be stowed. For the respective dining tray table 3 on each side of the center console 1, in each case a shaft is provided, whereby the two shafts are separated from one another by a carrier plate 7 that is central in the center console 1, see FIG. 2. The latter FIG. 2 shows the dining tray tables 3 of the two adjacent seats in their non-use position, i.e., in the stowed position in the respective shaft.

As later explained in more detail, the dining tray table 3 can be moved forward from the first use position shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of flight indicated with arrow 9, so that it adjoins an edge 13 of an additional tray table 15 in another use position with its front edge 11. Said additional tray table can be pivoted from a stowed position located in the rear of the seatback of an adjacent front seat into the horizontal position shown pulled out in FIG. 1, as indicated with bent arrow 19. After moving the dining tray table 3 forward, the edges 11 and 13 can be connected to one another, for example by a snap connection or by means of tongues and grooves or the like, such that dining tray table 3 and additional tray table 15 make available to the aircraft passenger a large working surface.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the vertical inner carrier plate 7, which, in the center console 1, separates the two adjacent shafts for receiving the dining tray table 3. The respective dining tray table is mounted on a support arm 21, which in turn can pivot on an articulated support 23 around a swivel axis 25. The swivel axis 25 runs horizontally and in the lengthwise direction of the seat, i.e., in the direction of flight.

The articulated support 23 can be moved corresponding to the double arrow 27 (FIG. 3) to make it possible to pull out the dining tray table 3 from the shaft of the center console. For this purpose, the articulated support 23 can move vertically on the solid carrier plate 7 along vertical dovetail guides 29, in which guide elements 31 engage. The dining tray table 3 in turn also has dovetail guides 33, in which guide elements 35 engage, which project from the support arm 21 (see FIG. 4) and make possible the shifting movement of the dining tray table in the direction of the double arrow 37.

FIG. 2 shows the state of the dining tray table 3 that is fully retracted into the shaft, with the tray table flaps 5, which can be folded at the upper end of the carrier plate 7 around swivel axes 37, shown in their horizontal use position, in which they form the upper cover of the respective shaft. If the dining tray table 3, as shown in FIG. 3, together with the support arm 21 is pulled upward from the shaft of the console, the joint element 23 that defines the swivel axis 25 of the dining tray table 3 is located at the upper end of the carrier plate 7, whereby the position indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is created for the swivel axis 25. It can also be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the swivel axis 37 of tray table flap 5 is located at a distance from the swivel axis 25 of the support arm 21 and the dining tray table 3 and that namely the swivel axis 37 of the tray table flap 5 is offset with respect to the center of the console.

As mentioned, the dining tray table 3 can be shifted relative to the support arm 21 in the direction of the double arrow 27 (FIG. 3) with the assistance of guides 33 and guide elements 35. This shifting movement, however, is only to be possible if the dining tray table 3 is pivoted downward from the position shown in FIG. 3 into its horizontal use position (around the swivel axis 25), so that it occupies the first use position shown in FIG. 4. To prevent a shifting movement of the dining tray table 3 that is not in its horizontal use position, in each case a safety bracket 39 that forms a quarter-circle arc is located on the tray table flaps 5. The latter is extended, as can be seen most clearly from FIG. 3, in the sliding track of the raised dining tray table 3, which only extends from the closing area of the bracket 39 if the dining tray table 3 is swiveled downward into the horizontal use position. Thus, the dining tray table 3 is prevented from being able to move forward (arrow 9), until it is in a raised intermediate position, in which a collision with the front console head 41 would be possible, in which optionally sensitive seat-operating elements are located. Only once the horizontal use position is achieved and thus the tray table flap 5 can close, see FIGS. 1 and 4, is the safety bracket 39 located below the front edge 11 of the dining tray table 3, so that its shifting movements can be carried out from the first, rear use position.

The first use position of the dining tray table 3 is shown in FIG. 4. In this position, no mutual locking of the two tray table parts, i.e., of dining tray table 3 and tray table flap 5, is provided, i.e., the dining tray table 3, which is flush with the shaft in the console 1 in this position, can be raised with its support arm 21 around the swivel axis 25, the tray table flap 5, which in turn pivots around the swivel axis 37, being raised simultaneously.

Since the dining tray table 3 is in the horizontal position outside of the area of the safety bracket 39, the dining tray table can be moved forward, for example to bring it up to the additional tray table 15. FIG. 5 shows that the dining tray table 3 is moved forward from the first use position, whereby the locking device that is provided between dining tray table 3 and tray table flap 5 is activated. As FIGS. 4 and 5 show, the locking device has a first closing part, assigned to dining tray table 3, in the form of a locking element 43, which is pivot-mounted on the support arm 21, as well as a seat 47, located on the underside of the cover plate 45 of the tray table flap 5, for a closing engagement with the closing element 49 of the locking element 43. The latter is pivot-mounted between the underside of the dining tray table 3 and the facing side of the support arm 21. As indicated only in FIG. 4 with dashed lines, a carrier pin 51 projecting against the support arm 21 is located on the underside of the dining tray table 3. If the dining tray table 3 is moved forward from the position shown in FIG. 4 relative to the support arm 21, the locking element 43 is located in the movement track of the carrier pin 51, such that the locking element 43, as soon as the dining tray table 3 leaves the first use position or starting position shown in FIG. 4, rotates and is brought into the active position shown in FIG. 5, in which the closing element 49 is brought up toward the seat 47 on the tray table flap 5 that is being used as a second closing part. If an attempt is now made, which is to be prevented by the locking device, to raise the dining tray table 3, moved forward, with the support arm 21, whereby the tray table flap 5 is raised, then extended since the swivel movements around swivel axes 25 or 37 that are offset with respect to one another produce the closing elements 49 of the locking element 43 in closing engagement with the seat 47 on the tray table flap, since because of the different positions of the swivel axes 25 and 37, a movement component for bringing the closing element 49 up to the seat 47 is carried out. The latter has a closing surface 53, formed like a shell and sitting below the cover plate 45, for the closing element 49.

A spacing element 55 that projects from the support arm 21 is located between the underside of the cover plate 45 and the support arm 21. The latter assists both in lifting the tray table flap 5 when the support arm 21 is pivoted upward and also in forming a spacer that, by defining a predetermined distance between the underside of the tray table flap 5 and the adjacent surface of the support arm 21, ensures that, in the use position, the surfaces of the dining tray table 3 and the tray table flap 5 are at the same level with respect to one another, with no height distance between them.

If the dining tray table 3 is moved back again into the starting position or the first use position from the position, shown in FIG. 5, opposite the direction of flight, the carrier pin 51 again runs to the locking element 43 at the end of the shifting movement and rotates the latter in the rotational position shown in FIG. 4, such that the locking device is again deactivated. Thus, only in this position where the dining tray table 3 in turn is aligned to the shaft in the console 1 do the raising and the subsequent stowing of the dining tray table 3 in the console take place.

FIG. 6 shows a modified embodiment of the locking device. In this figure, only the tray table flap 5 that is located on the left side in the center console 1 is shown in the raised position, and the dining tray table 3 is in its first use position. At this lateral edge, which adjoins the dining tray table in the tray table flap 5 folded down in the use position, i.e., at the lateral edge 71, a groove designated as 73 is located for forming a groove-tongue connection. The latter is located on the end area of edge 71 located forward in the direction of flight and extends only over a small portion of the edge 71. The dining tray table 3 has a tongue 77 that projects like a fin at the edge 75 that faces the tray table flap 5, and said tongue 77 begins at a distance from the end of the edge 75 that is located forward in the direction of flight, and said distance is matched to the length of the groove 73, whereby the tongue 77 extends up to near the rear end area of the edge 75.

In this configuration, when the tray table flap 5 is folded downward, the tongue 77 engages with the groove 73 only if the dining tray table 3 is in the first use position. If the dining tray table is moved forward from the first use position, the tongue 77 runs into the groove 73. If an attempt is now made to raise the dining tray table 3, the groove 73 and the tongue 77 engaged therein then form closing parts to lock the tray table elements to keep them from being raised. In other words, the dining tray table 3 can be raised only in the retracted first use position. 

1. Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first (3) and a second tray table part (5) that can be moved around swivel axes (25 or 37), different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions, characterized by closing parts (43, 47; 73, 77) that are assigned to the two tray table parts (3, 5) and that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close with respect to one another to keep them from raising a tray table part (3) in the use position.
 2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein a first tray table part (3) that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console (1) that delimits the seat to the side can be removed from the console (1) to be moved into the use position and can pivot around a shaft (25) that is located on the console (1) and that runs in a direction of travel/flight.
 3. The locking device according to claim 2, wherein a tray table flap (5) that covers the shaft of the console (1) in the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position is provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis (37), which is placed parallel to the axis (25) of the first tray table part (3) and is placed offset with respect to the console (1) against the center of the console.
 4. The locking device according to claim 3, wherein the first tray table part (3) between a first use position—in which it is oriented to the shaft of the console (1), is connected to the lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) in the use position, and forms a lateral extension of the tray table flap surfaces—can be moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the second use position.
 5. The locking device according to claim 4, wherein the closing parts (43, 47; 73, 77), assigned to the tray table parts (3, 5), can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position based on the moving of the first tray table part (3) from its first use position.
 6. The locking device according to claim 5, wherein the first tray table part (3) is mounted on a support arm (21) that can pivot on the console (1) for its shifting movement between the first use position and the second use position, moved forward.
 7. The locking device according to claim 6, wherein the closing part (43) that is assigned to the first tray table part (3) is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part (3) on the support arm (21) and can be moved between the active position and the inactive position.
 8. The locking device according to claim 7, wherein as a closing part on the support arm (21), a locking element (43) is provided that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside of the first tray table part (3), and that, when pivoted to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing part forming a seat (47) that is provided on the adjacent lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) to form a closure.
 9. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein a carrier pin (51) projecting in the direction toward the support arm (21) is provided on the underside of the first tray table part (3), and said carrier pin, when the first tray table part (3) is moved from the first use position, moves the locking element (43) back into the active position and during retraction into the first use position moves the locking element (43) back into the inactive position.
 10. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein when the locking element (43) is in the active position, the closing parts (43, 47) work to form a closure to keep both the first (3) and the second tray table parts (5) from being raised from the respective use positions.
 11. The Locking device according to claim 5, wherein the closing parts have a groove-tongue guide (73, 77) between a first tray table part (3), on the one hand, and a tray table flap (5), on the other hand, along which guide the first tray table part (3) moves forward in its shifting movement from the first use position.
 12. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the groove-tongue guide has a tongue (77) that projects from the edge (75) of the first tray table part (3) and extends in the direction of movement and a groove (73) located on the assigned edge of the tray table flap (5), which are offset with respect to one another in the direction of movement of the first tray table part (3) such that no mutual engagement of tongue (77) and groove (73) is provided in its first use position, but the latter are inserted in one another in the shifting movement.
 13. The locking device according to claims 4, wherein the first tray table part (3) in a forward shifted second use position can be combined to form an enlarged tray table surface with a third tray table part (15), which for its part can be brought into a use position extending far from the rear side (17) of the seatback of an adjacent front seat. 